Nicole Edwards - Travis

“No. I don’t.”

Kylie was surprised by her honesty. Then again, Jessie had never been the type to lie about anything. She was too honest at times as a matter of fact.

“So why’d you move out?”

“It was time.”

Kylie didn’t push.

“I’m tired of having nothing of my own. I liked my job, but I didn’t love it. I hated living at home because I’m too old to be living at home. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I’ve been putting it off.”

“Do you have plans now?” Kylie peered over at her. “You know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want.”

“Right. Because you don’t have a life. I saw those two men in your bed, Sis. And don’t worry, what you do is your business. If you want Dad to know, you’ll tell him.”

Kylie stared at her plate, wondering if that would ever be a good idea. Her father was going to flip a lid as soon as he found out she was married. If this thing between her and Travis and Gage was going to move forward, her father was going to have a coronary.

“You’ll let me know what you decide to do, right.” Kylie didn’t want her sister disappearing on her. If she didn’t have a place to go, she’d much rather have her there so she could make sure she was ok. Without a job, maybe she could help Kylie with her reno on Gage’s house. She could always use an extra pair of hands and Jessie had helped her before.

“Yes.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Kylie turned to face Jessie. “Help me with the renovation on Gage’s house. It’s going to take a few weeks, and we’ll have to stay in Coyote Ridge for a little while, but it’ll give you something to do while you decide your future.”

Jessie’s eyes widened, and a smile tilted her glossy lips. “Where will we stay?”

If Kylie wasn’t mistaken, there was interest and something more along the lines of hope in her sister’s tone. “Not exactly sure yet, but worst case, we’ll stay in a hotel close by.”

“I’m game.” Jessie jumped up from her chair and threw her slender arms around Kylie’s neck, nearly knocking her off of her stool.

Returning the hug, Kylie held her sister close, rubbing her hand up and down her back. In all honesty, she was looking forward to time with her sister. She was looking forward to someone to talk to.

♂♀

When Kylie called to tell him that she was on her way, Travis asked her to meet him at Gage’s farmhouse. Since he knew Gage was currently at Kaleb’s, – an intentional setup to get him away from his house for a couple of hours – he didn’t want to risk the chance of Gage seeing her truck.

Not yet anyway.

Pulling down the long, winding drive, he was thankful he was the first one to arrive. Having hijacked the key with Kaleb’s help, he wanted to get inside and get the house opened up. They didn’t have a lot of time because Kaleb wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to convince Gage to stick around if he decided to call it a night. Travis asked his brother to give him a heads up if Gage did head out. At least they’d have about fifteen minutes to clear out.

After unlocking the front door, Travis ran through the house flipping on lights and opening doors. His timing was perfect because he was walking out onto the front porch when the first set of headlights beamed up the driveway. Minutes later, there were more. Until there was a long line of trucks and SUVs lining up along one side.

“This feels like one of those reality shows, bro.” Sawyer clapped him on the back as he moved to stand beside him.

Travis didn’t know about that, but he did know they were in a race against time and with all of the things they’d managed to scrounge together, he knew they’d require every second they could get.

After Gage dropped Travis off at his parents’ house, he’d spent half an hour talking to them about his plan. His mother had been thrilled to help, and his father had pretended to grumble about it. From there, the three of them went to work.

Not only had Travis’ parents called upon the town for donations, but they had also learned through the Coyote Ridge grapevine that Gage had put a few of his grandparent’s things in the rickety garage that sat next to the house. Nothing was sacred in that town. There wasn’t much furniture that could be used, but there were some odds and ends – lamps, dishes, and a handful of knick knacks – that they could put to good use.

“Let’s do this!” Sawyer bellowed when people began climbing out of their vehicles. A series of shouts greeted them and then there was utter chaos.

When Kylie arrived a short while later, his brothers and their friends were moving in and out of the house at a rapid pace, hefting furniture of various sizes as they unloaded the trucks and waited for Curtis and Lorrie to arrive with the few items they’d purchased earlier in the day. As much as they welcomed used items that people didn’t need or just wanted to donate to the cause, there were a few things Travis had wanted to be new.

After attempting to give his parents his credit card, they had refused his offer and insisted they would be pitching in to get the last few items that were still needed.

“Hey,” Travis greeted Kylie when she walked up on the porch carrying several plastic bags.

“Hi.” When she went up on her toes, planting a quick kiss on his lips as she passed, he fought the urge to grab her and pull her against him.

“Nice to see you too,” Jessie teased as she walked by carrying more bags.

“We’re going to put this stuff up, but there’s more if you want to get someone to help,” Kylie told him before she disappeared inside the house.

Travis set off down the stairs to Kylie’s truck and started unloading more groceries. The woman had gone overboard. She had requested them to put together a list of things Gage preferred, aside from the staples that all kitchens needed, and he knew for damn sure that it wasn’t that long. He wasn’t sure there was anything left on the shelves at the grocery store based on how many bags filled the back seat of the truck.

Four trips later, Travis deposited the last of the items on the kitchen counter and went back out to help with the furniture. After making another trip in the house, this time helping Brendon carry in a massive sectional couch that had been donated by Myrna and Charles Talbott – Gage’s previous landlords – he heard Sawyer announce the arrival of his parents.

Holy shit. They were driving a U-Haul.

And he thought Kylie went overboard.

His mother greeted him with a quick peck on his cheek before she headed inside to help Kylie and Jessie in the kitchen, and he went to work helping his father unload what must’ve been a small furniture store.

“You guys keep this up, and I’m going to start charging you,” Zane joked as he passed by. The guy had become quite the furniture mover. It hadn’t been that long ago that they’d helped Kaleb and Zoey move in, and Travis understood what his brother was getting at.

They were all soaked in sweat by the time the trucks were unloaded, and people started heading out. There wasn’t much time to congregate and bullshit because Travis knew Gage would be heading back before long and he wanted everyone to be gone by the time that happened.

Travis’ cell phone rang, and he grabbed it from his belt, hitting the talk button as he pressed it against his ear. “Hope that was enough time,” Kaleb said in lieu of a greeting. “We couldn’t convince him to stay any longer.”

“It’ll have to do. He just leave?”

“Yeah, he’s actually getting in his truck right now.”

“Thanks.” Travis disconnected the call and then told the twins and Sawyer that they had to head out, and they needed to take the back roads home because they’d surely pass Gage on his way over.

“Give me a minute,” Brendon said as he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Braydon standing in the doorway.

“What’s he up to?”

Braydon shrugged, and Travis knew instantly what the hell was going on. Without thinking, he grabbed his brother by the front of his shirt and pulled him close. Since they were roughly the same height, he stared directly into eyes eerily similar to his own. “Y’all hurt her. I hurt you. Understand me?”

“It’s not like that,” Braydon whispered, and Travis leaned back to get a better look at him.

“No? You two aren’t sharing her?” Braydon broke eye contact, but he didn’t deny it. “I’m serious, Braydon. Don’t fuck with her. Kylie’s important to me. That means her sister is too. Got it?”

“I hear you. Like I said, it’s not like that.”

A minute later, Brendon was walking through the living room with Jessie beside him, their hands clasped together. Fucking hell. He knew the stories about the twins and damn it all to hell, the last person who needed to get mixed up with them was Kylie’s sister. But it wasn’t like he could tell her that. It wasn’t his fucking business even if it did piss him off.

“I’m dead fucking serious, Bray,” Travis reiterated as the twins walked out onto the porch. His brother merely waved a hand behind his head, obviously dismissing him and it took everything in Travis’ power not to take off after them.

Shit.

“You all right?” Kylie asked, jarring Travis from his rage. He turned to look at her and all of the anger and frustration drained out of him. Just like that, the woman managed to calm him in ways no amount of booze ever had.

“I’m good. Let me have your keys. I’m going to move the trucks behind the house so Gage won’t see them when he gets here. While I’m doing that, go shut off all of the lights for me, would ya?”